Get to Know NWEA

NWEA Research: Partnering & Consulting

Sharing ideas for a smarter future

Our NWEA Research team shares a goal with many: creating a better, more responsive educational system that helps all kids learn. Researchers across the education community work with us to design and execute custom research studies intended to improve measurement of student learning, inform teaching and learning practices, and advocate for policies that benefit students and teachers.

Additionally, we partner with school systems that support applied research within their schools—and because we feel strongly about inspiring the next generation of leaders, we provide internships and research support for graduate students.

Our collaborative work with think-tanks, school districts, universities, and foundations connects education policy research to student learning.

Building a bridge between education policy research and student learning

How To Partner

Grants and University Partnerships

Partnerships with researchers at Columbia University, Stanford University, the University of Delaware, Fordham University, the University of Arkansas, and Vanderbilt University

Kingsbury Data Award

Project support for graduate students and university researchers; named in honor of Dr. Gage Kingsbury, a pioneer in adaptive achievement testing

Use of Assessment Results for Research

Use of longitudinal student achievement data to create metrics for NWEA Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) interim assessment as well as custom reports such as Standard Comparison Groups (SCGs) and Virtual Comparison Groups (VCGs)

Virtual Comparison Groups (VCGs)

Research control group methodology for comparing one student’s academic growth to anonymized data from students in other areas who perform similarly and share similar demographic characteristics

Karen Rambo

Colorado State University School of Education and School of Teacher Education. Dr. Rambo received a data award for her report Summer Growth Patterns in Gifted Students. The report looks at summer growth patterns and assesses the impact of schools on high achievers.

Anna J. Egalite

University of Arkansas. Ms. Egalite is a doctoral academy fellow, and her co-author Brian Kisida is a research associate. They received a data award to look at student achievement impacts related to school size. The researchers evaluated students from more than 2800 schools over 4 years and concluded that school size has a meaningful impact on student achievement.

Deliver precise, real-time information about every student’s learning

Discover assessments rooted in research

Our computer adaptive assessments help educators answer a crucial question: Are my students learning? By delivering precise, real-time information about every student’s learning triumphs and challenges, we set educators—and students—up for success.

Next steps: Learn how NWEA Research supports the education research community